High-alcohol beverages containing eriocitrin

Abstract

To reduce after-bitterness of alcohol peculiar to a high-alcohol-content beverage.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a high-alcohol-content beverage comprising eriocitrin.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to high-alcohol beverages containing eriocitrin and related methods. [Background technology]

[0002] In alcoholic beverages, the alcoholic sensation, such as the stimulating feeling of alcohol, is often a problem. Several methods are known to solve this problem. For example, a method using specific sugars is known (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-193602 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present inventors have recognized that beverages containing a high content of alcohol have a characteristic bitter aftertaste, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the bitter aftertaste of alcohol that is characteristic of beverages containing a high content of alcohol. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that eriocitrin can reduce the bitter aftertaste of alcohol that is characteristic of beverages containing a high amount of alcohol. The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the following: (1) A beverage containing eriocitrin at 10 to 60 ppm, having a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0, and having an alcohol content of more than 15 v / v%. (2) The beverage according to (1), having an alcohol content of 16 to 60 v / v%. (3) A beverage according to (1) or (2) having a pH in the range of 3.3 to 4.8. (4) The beverage according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the limonene content is 20 to 150 ppm. (5) A beverage according to any one of (1) to (4), containing a citrus flavor or citrus juice. (6) A method for reducing the bitter aftertaste of alcohol in a beverage having an alcohol content of more than 15 v / v%, the method comprising mixing ingredients so that the beverage contains 10 to 60 ppm of eriocitrin and has a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention can reduce the bitter aftertaste of alcohol that is characteristic of high-alcohol beverages. In this specification, the "bitter aftertaste of alcohol that is characteristic of high-alcohol beverages" refers to the stimulating, bitter taste that lingers on the tongue and is felt in alcoholic beverages that contain a high concentration of alcohol. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The beverages of the present invention and related methods are described below. Unless otherwise specified, "ppm" used in this specification means ppm by weight / volume (w / v), which is synonymous with "mg / L."

[0008] (alcohol) The beverage of the present invention contains a high alcohol content. The alcohol content exceeds 15 v / v%, preferably 16 to 60 v / v%, and more preferably 16 to 45 v / v%. When the alcohol content is within the above range, the bitter aftertaste that is characteristic of high-alcohol beverages is produced. Note that the term "alcohol" used in this specification refers to ethanol unless otherwise specified.

[0009] In this specification, the alcohol content of a beverage can be measured by any known method. It can be measured by, for example, a vibrating densitometer. Specifically , prepare a sample by filtering from the beverage or removing carbon dioxide gas as necessary by ultrasonic waves, and subject the sample to steam distillation, measure the density at 15 °C of the resulting distillate, and use the "Table 2 Conversion Table of Alcohol Content, Density (15 °C), and Specific Gravity (15 / 15 °C)" which is an annex to the National Tax Agency's specified analysis method (National Tax Agency Directive No. 6 of 2007, revised on June 22, 2007) for conversion and determination.

[0010] Alcohol can be contained in the beverage of the present invention by any means, but typically, the beverage of the present invention contains distilled liquor, and thereby contains alcohol. The distilled liquor is not limited by its raw materials or production method. Examples of the distilled liquor include whiskey, brandy, spirits (e.g., vodka, rum, tequila, gin, aquavit), neutral spirits, liqueurs, and shochu. Preferably, the distilled liquor is whiskey, brandy, or neutral spirits.

[0011] (Eriocitrin) Eriocitrin is a compound composed of eriodictyol, which is a flavanone, and a disaccharide (rutinose).

[0012] The beverage of the present invention contains eriocitrin. The content is 10 to 60 ppm, preferably 20 to 60 ppm. In the present invention, eriocitrin can reduce the aftertaste of alcohol peculiar to high-alcohol beverages.

[0013] The content of eriocitrin may be measured by any known method such as GC-MS, GC, or HPLC method. The following shows typical analysis conditions for HPLC.

[0014] <HPLC Analysis Conditions> The sample beverage was subjected to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) under the following conditions. The HPLC analysis conditions were as follows: Measuring equipment: Prominence (Shimadzu Corporation) Detector: SPD-M20A (Shimadzu Corporation) Column: TSKgel ODS-80Ts QA 150 x 4.6 mm, particle size 5 μm (Tosoh Corporation) Column temperature: 40℃ Detection wavelength: 280nm Mobile phase: Solution A: ultrapure water: acetonitrile: trifluoroacetic acid = 95:5:0.05 Solution B: ultrapure water: acetonitrile: trifluoroacetic acid = 5:95:0.05 Fluid delivery conditions:

[0015] [Table 1]

[0016] Injection volume: 5μL (pH) The pH of the beverage of the present invention is 3.0 to 5.0, preferably 3.3 to 4.8, and more preferably 3.3 to 4.5. In the present invention, when the pH is within these ranges, the after-bitterness can be more effectively reduced.

[0017] As used herein, the pH of a beverage means the pH measured in a non-carbonated state. The pH of the beverage of the present invention may be adjusted by any known method, but for example, it can be adjusted by adding an acid component such as citric acid (anhydrous) or phosphoric acid, or an alkaline component such as sodium citrate, as needed.

[0018] (limonene) The beverage of the present invention may contain limonene. In this specification, the term "limonene" means d-limonene. The content thereof is preferably 20 to 150 ppm, more preferably 30 to 120 ppm.

[0019] The content of limonene may be measured by any known method such as GC-MS or HPLC method. The typical analysis conditions of GC-MS are shown below. <GC-MS Analysis Conditions> The beverage serving as the sample is subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) under the following conditions. The analysis conditions of GC are as follows. GC apparatus: Agilent Technologies GC-MSD GC oven temperature conditions: 40°C (5 minutes) - 6°C / min - 240°C Mass spectrometry (MS) conditions Quadrupole setting value: 150 Ion source setting value: 230 Area value calculation conditions Total ion mode Mass (LOW): 35 Mass (HIGH): 550 Column: DB-WAXETR 60m, inner diameter 320μm, film thickness 0.25μm Sample pretreatment conditions: 80 μL of the sample and 20 μL of the internal standard substance (methyl decanoate 20 ppm alcohol aqueous solution) are mixed in a 20 mL screw cap vial Dynamic headspace conditions Apparatus: Gestel MPS Adsorbent: TENAX Sample vaporization temperature: 80°C[[ID=3Z]] Sample vaporization gas supply volume: 3000 ml Sample vaporization gas supply rate: 100 ml / min<OO00131>Sample vaporization gas type: nitrogen Peak retention time: Components and concentrations are identified by MS analysis. Standard substance: limonene (fruit juice or vegetable juice) The beverage of the present invention may contain fruit juice and / or vegetable juice. The fruit juice may be in the form of either straight fruit juice, which is obtained by squeezing fruit and using the juice as is, or concentrated fruit juice. Clear or cloudy fruit juice may also be used. Whole fruit juice obtained by crushing the whole fruit, including the outer skin, and removing only particularly hard solids such as seeds, fruit puree obtained by straining fruit, or fruit juice obtained by crushing or extracting the pulp of dried fruit may also be used. Vegetable juice may also be used in the same form as the above fruit juice.

[0020] The type of fruit juice is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include citrus fruits (orange, Unshu mandarin orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, yuzu, iyokan, natsumikan, sudachi, hassaku, ponkan, shiikuwasha, kabosu, etc.), pome fruits (apple, pear, etc.), stone fruits (peach, plum, apricot, plum, cherry, etc.), citrus fruits (grape, black currant, blueberry, etc.), tropical and subtropical fruits (pineapple, guava, banana, mango, lychee, etc.), and fruit-like vegetables (strawberry, melon, watermelon, etc.). These fruit juices may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of vegetable juices include tomato juice, corn juice, pumpkin juice, and carrot juice. Vegetable juices may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Fruit juices and vegetable juices may also be combined.

[0021] The content of fruit juice in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 0 to 100 w / w %, or less than 10 w / w %, converted into fruit juice percentage. In this invention, the "fruit juice ratio" in a beverage is calculated using the amount of fruit juice (g) blended in 100 ml of beverage using the following conversion formula. The concentration ratio is calculated in accordance with JAS standards, excluding the sugar refractometer readings for sugars, honey, etc. added to the juice.

[0022] Juice percentage (w / w%) = <amount of juice (g)> x <concentration ratio> / 100 mL / <density of beverage> x 100 The content of vegetable juice in the beverage of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is typically 0 to 100 w / w%, or less than 10 w / w%. Here, the content of vegetable juice is determined according to the content of fruit juice converted into the above-mentioned fruit juice ratio.

[0023] (Citrus flavor or citrus juice) The present invention preferably contains a citrus flavor or citrus juice. Examples of citrus fruits include oranges, Unshu mandarins, grapefruits, lemons, limes, yuzu citrus, iyokan citrus, natsumikan citrus, sudachi citrus, hassaku citrus, ponkan citrus, shiikuwasha citrus, and kabosu citrus, with oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes being preferred.

[0024] (carbon dioxide) The beverage of the present invention may contain carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas can be added to the beverage using methods commonly known to those skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, dissolving carbon dioxide in the beverage under pressure, mixing the carbon dioxide and the beverage in a pipe using a mixer such as a Zühenhagen carbonator, spraying the beverage into a tank filled with carbon dioxide to absorb the carbon dioxide, or mixing the beverage with carbonated water. Carbon dioxide pressure can be adjusted using any of these methods.

[0025] When the beverage of the present invention contains carbon dioxide gas, the carbon dioxide gas pressure is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.7 to 4.5 kgf / cm 2 , more preferably 0.8 to 2.8 kgf / cm 2 In the present invention, the carbon dioxide pressure can be measured using a gas volume measuring device GVA-500A manufactured by Kyoto Electronics Manufacturing Co., Ltd. For example, the sample temperature is set to 20°C, and the air in the container is degassed (sniffed) using the gas volume measuring device, shaken, and then the carbon dioxide pressure is measured. In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the carbon dioxide pressure refers to the carbon dioxide pressure at 20°C.

[0026] (Other ingredients) The beverage of the present invention may also contain additives that are typically added to beverages, such as flavorings, vitamins, colorings, antioxidants, preservatives, seasonings, extracts, pH adjusters, citric acid, and quality stabilizers, as long as the additives do not impair the effects of the present invention.

[0027] (packaged beverages) The beverage of the present invention can be provided in a container-packed form. Container forms include, but are not limited to, metal containers such as cans, PET bottles, paper cartons, bottles, pouches, etc. For example, a sterilized container-packed product can be produced by filling a container with the beverage of the present invention and then subjecting it to heat sterilization such as retort sterilization, or by sterilizing the beverage and filling it into a container.

[0028] (method) Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a high-alcohol beverage. The method includes a step of mixing ingredients so that the alcohol beverage contains 10 to 60 ppm of eriocitrin and has a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0. The ingredients include eriocitrin or an eriocitrin-containing material (such as fruit juice or flavoring), water, and, if necessary, other ingredients such as an acidic or alkaline component for adjusting the pH. The other ingredients are obvious from the above description of the beverage. This method can reduce the bitter aftertaste that is characteristic of high-alcohol beverages, and therefore, in another aspect, is also a method for reducing the bitter aftertaste in the beverage.

[0029] The method for adjusting the eriocitrin content and pH of a beverage is obvious from the above description of the beverage. The timing is not limited. For example, the above steps may be performed simultaneously or separately, or the order of the steps may be reversed. The final beverage should satisfy the above conditions. Furthermore, the preferred ranges for the content of the above components are as described above for the beverage. Furthermore, specific examples and amounts of additional components are as described above for the beverage.

[0030] (Numerical range) For clarity, the numerical ranges herein include their endpoints, i.e., the lower and upper limits. For example, a range expressed by "from 1 to 2" includes 1 and 2. [Example]

[0031] The present invention will be explained below based on test examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. It's not something like that. (Test Example 1) Bitter aftertaste of alcohol in high-alcohol beverages The alcohol content was varied to evaluate the bitter aftertaste of alcohol that is characteristic of high-alcohol beverages.

[0032] Specifically, aqueous alcohol solutions with an alcohol content of 15 v / v % or more were prepared (sample beverages), and sensory evaluations were carried out on these samples. The sensory evaluations were carried out in the following manner.

[0033] Each sample beverage was tasted by three expert panelists, who evaluated the bitterness of the alcohol aftertaste according to the following criteria, and the average score was calculated. 6 points: no feeling at all, 5 points: almost no feeling, 4 points: hardly any feeling, 3 points: some feeling, 2 points: feeling, 1 point: strong feeling.

[0034] Next, the evaluation results were expressed as follows according to the average score: "-": average score is 5 points or more, "±": average score is 4 points or more but less than 5 points, "+": average score is 3 points or more but less than 4 points, "++": average score is 2 points or more but less than 3 points, "+++": average score is 1 point or more but less than 2 points.

[0035] The results are shown in the table below. When the alcohol content was 16 v / v% or higher, a distinctive bitter aftertaste was observed.

[0036] [Table 2]

[0037] (Test Example 2) Effect of Eriocitrin Several alcoholic aqueous solutions with an alcohol content of 16% v / v or higher were prepared, and various concentrations of eriocitrin were added to these to prepare sample beverages. The effect of eriocitrin on the bitter aftertaste characteristic of high-alcohol beverages was confirmed. For comparison, eriocitrin was also added to an alcoholic aqueous solution with an alcohol content of 15% v / v to confirm its effect. The pH of the resulting sample beverages was 4.3 to 4.5. Sensory evaluation was performed using the following method.

[0038] Each sample beverage was drunk by three expert panelists, who evaluated the effect of reducing the after-bitterness according to the following criteria, and the average score was calculated. 6 points: Very good feeling, 5 points: Good feeling, 4 points: Feeling, 3 points: Somewhat feeling, 2 points: Slight feeling, 1 point: Not feeling.

[0039] Next, the evaluation results were expressed as follows according to the average score: "-": average score is 1 point or more but less than 2 points; "±": average score is 2 points or more but less than 3 points; "+": average score is 3 points or more but less than 4 points; "++": average score is 4 points or more but less than 5 points; "+++": average score is 5 points or more.

[0040] Samples that received a rating of "+" or higher can be said to have passed the test in terms of improving or reducing the bitter aftertaste of alcohol. The results are shown in the table below.

[0041] [Table 3]

[0042] When a specific amount of eriocitrin was used, the bitter aftertaste was effectively reduced. (Test Example 3) Effect of pH An alcoholic solution with an alcohol content of 25 v / v% and an eriocitrin content of 40 ppm was prepared, and the pH was further adjusted to prepare several sample beverages. The effect of eriocitrin in reducing the bitter aftertaste was confirmed for these beverages. The pH was adjusted using anhydrous citric acid as the acidic component and sodium citrate as the alkaline component.

[0043] The sensory evaluation was performed using the same method as in Test Example 2. The results are shown in the table below.

[0044] [Table 4]

[0045] Eriocitrin was effective in a specific pH range.

Claims

1. A beverage having an eriocitrin content of 10 to 60 ppm, a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0, and an alcohol content of 16 to 60 v / v%.

2. 2. The beverage according to claim 1, having an alcohol content of 16 to 45 v / v%.

3. 3. The beverage of claim 1 or 2, having a pH in the range of 3.3 to 4.

8.

4. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the limonene content is 20 to 150 ppm.

5. The beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which contains a citrus flavor or citrus juice.

6. A method for reducing the bitter aftertaste of alcohol in a beverage having an alcohol content of 16 to 60 v / v%, the method comprising mixing ingredients so that the beverage contains 10 to 60 ppm of eriocitrin and has a pH in the range of 3.0 to 5.0.

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